Buckle with loop and lock



Oct. 27, 1931.

A. H. KERNGOOD BUCKLE WITH LOOP AND LOCK Filed March 17, 1931 iv I I a a Patented Oct. 27, 193i i UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE j ALLEN H. KERNGOOD, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ALMA MANUFACTUR- ING COMPANY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION F MARYLAND BUCKLE WITH LOOP AND tool:

The majority of the apparel buckles in use for adjusting means in the backs of mens vests and in a somewhat similar capacity, as suspender buckles, are of the old type pro- ?vided with sharp prongs which irritate the skin and injure the fingers, they also tear and mutilate the band and frequently the free end which is engaged by the buckle is released and pulled out so it must be inserted L at some inconvenience.

The invention relates to a buckle particularly adapted to use in connection with wearing apparel as in the adjustment of suspenders or in the adjustment of the back of a vest i' l-orin connection with a belt. The buckle of the invention has a hinged loop or eye for the attachment to the buckle of the end of the strap or band which would otherwise be the free end. In addition to the engagement of the end of the strap with the buckle, the intermediate portion of the strap is slidably engaged by the buckle which may be clamped to the strap in the desired position of adjustment to give the adjusted length to the strap '5? thus doubled back on itself or looped. The clampedengagement of the buckle with the strap or band, fixing the length of the looped strap is effected by means of the hinged loop or eye forming part of the buckle. This is 352 locked in clamping position, compressing the strap or hand between the edge of the buckle and the loop. It is also of interest that the buckle is, in the preferred form, stamped out i of a single piece of sheet metal, the'hinge imember on the buckle provided for the loop referred to in this art as a tunnel being preferably formed of the metal which is cut and deflected from the buckle slots, the fastening means for the loop shown in the form of 5 C tongues or lugs turned laterally to the buckle, being also preferably formed from the same piece of metal and being taken either from the ends of one of the buckle slots in which instance they project'from the inside of'the ibuckle as in other instances they may be formed on the outer edges of the buckle, under whichcircumstances they add slightly to the area of metal consumed.

In the operation of the buckle, as will be 56-understood, the band being passed through Application filed March 17, 1931. Serial No. 523,209.

the buckle slots in the usual way, the end of the band is secured to the hinged loop or eye of the buckle, forming a loop in the strap or band with which the member to be adjustably connected to the band is engaged either by a metal loop or eye threaded on the in some other convenient manner. This may be the Y end of a pair of suspenders or the adjustable back of a vest or a belt, depending upon the manner of applying and using the buckle which is primarily intended for use in connection with wearing apparel.

In the drawings I have illustrated an apparel buckle with the loop and lock embodying the features of my invention in the preferred form and in a slightly modified form, together with so much of a suspender as is necessary to illustrate one manner of applying and using the buckle.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary elevation of a suspender showing the Y portion and the apparel buckle of the invention. 7

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation of the buckle in the position in which it is shown in Figure 1, the strap, except as to the portion immediately adjacent and attached to the loop or eye of the buckle being removed, the buckle being shown in locked position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view looking at the opposite side of the buckle, the loop or eye being at right angles to the buckle and not in locked position, and the buckle being inverted as to the position shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view of the buckle with the fabric attached, the buckle being in locked position and in the same attitude in which it is shown in F igure2, but seen from the opposite side. In this instance it is shown in operative relation to the fabric.

Figure 5 is a view of a modified form of the buckle in which the locking tongue is on the outside' This view corresponds to F igure 3 except that the position of the buckle is inverted.

The buckle or clasp as shown consists of a frame or body member 1 having longitudinal parallel slots 2 and 3, through which the strap is passed and a hinged loop or eye 4.

i The main frame or body member 1 has a band, or

central crossbar 5 between theslots which as shown is in the form of a tunnel or hinged tube which receives and encloses the ends 6 of" the loop or eye 4, which as shown is of wire.

Preferably the main frame or body member 1 of the buckle is stamped out of a single piece of sheet metal and part of the metal from the slots 2 and 3 is left attached to the cross bar 5, being rolled to form on the cross bar a hinge or tube or tunnel 5' already" stated. An, important feature of the buckle is that the loop 4 to which the end of the strap 7 is attached serves not only as' an attaching means for the endof the strap, but also as a clamping means forjthe intermediate portion of the strap whereby the strap 7 which maybe a portion of a suspender or a portion of the rear adjusting strap of a'vest, or a belt, being passed through'the slots 2 and. 3 of:the buckle and having its end attached to the loop or eye 4, is adjusted as to its length by sliding the buckle along the strapandclamping it in the desired position of adjustment.

The clamping means lncludes the loop or eye 4 whichin clamping position is swung against the clamping ,edge 9,;whichprojects from one sidebar 10 of the buckle. .This clamping edge is, shown as straight though this is not important. Theclamping member 13 is also concaved transversely.

The loop or eye 4 .is heldin clamping position by fastening tongues" or lugs 11. These lugs in the preferred embodiment, Figures 2, 3 and 4, are formed from parts of the metal removed from'the slot 3 atthe ends and turned outwardly in theformof two 'hooks,or the lugs are curved toa lesser degree, the spring of the loop and the spring 'of the' 'metal serving to cause these members to.

yield and spring into locked position as shown in Figures 2 and ,3, in which the lugs partly encircle the sides of the eye or loop 4.

Figure 5 shows a similarbuckle or clasp having a frame 21, slots 22and. 23, hinge loop o-r'eye 24, and cross bar 25 between the loops.

The crossbar 25 is formed into a hinge tube 23 and the'bucklehas a clamping'edge 2,9, with a serrated edge.- This buckle also has fastening lugs 31 corresponding to the lugs 11. In this instance thelugs 31 being preferably formed integral with theiframe 2110f the buckle, are bent up from the outside re' quiring a little more material. The clamp- :ing action of this buckleisthe same as that illustrated in Figures .2, 3: and 4.

In: operation, the end-12ofthestrap being attached to the -eye or loop 4 at the'outer'or swinging sideof the same, is also either first or subsequently passed through the slots and 2 of the buckle and in contact with the cross bar 5 between'ilthe slots assliown,=*particularly in Figure 1, andv in Figure 4. This? provides a loop 14. comprising the. end portion offthe strap 7 and of adjustahlesize determined by the position relatively to the length'of the strap or band/7, in which the buckle or clasp is closed or clamped. The

member to be connected to the strap and relatively to which the length of the strap is to be adjusted is connected to the opposite end of the loop-14 from the buckle 15 in any suitable manner as by means of a second loop or eye 16 which in the form of the invention shown carrieda suspender Y 17 relatively to which :the length of the suspenderstrap is adjusted j by varying the length of the loop 14.

being held in clamping'position by the curved or hooked lugs 11 which'are sprung out of the 'pathof the loop, the lugs and the loop beingboth elastic, in fact, give in opposite directions and then spring back into the hooked engagement illustrated in Figure 4. The. member 13 may also be transversely curved and have a similar springing action when the eye or loop is forced down over it.

The strap is ,held in close contact with the. clamping edge 9 between its concave side and the corresponding portions of the loop, two thicknesses of the material comprised by the end 12 of theloop andthe intermediate portion of the band 7, at 18 are drawn by; the loop4 against the concave side of the member 13 giving a very efiicient clamping action by the compression of a plurality of thick-- nesses of thematerial between the clamping edge. 9 and the loop 4 whichdraws the material into the concavity ofthe member 13 as aforesaid. i

Important advantages of this construction are the ease'of adjustment whereby the buckle 15 when released can be slipped freely along the intermediate portion ofthe band7', also the absence of any difficulty regarding the escape of the free end of the strap, and the absence of points whichirritatethe person and tend to injure the fingers of the operator,

as well as tear the material. The ease and I convenlence as well as the security with which theband: is clamped'between the loop4 and the member 13 both being spring members between' which two thicknessesof the band are compressed: are of importance, as is-also the fact that the'buckle body or frame is stamped from a single piece ofsheet metal, making it possible to produce'it rapidly and cheaply in large quantities.

I have thus described specifically and in detail a buckle embodying my invention in the preferred and a slightly'modified form, the description being specific and :in detail in order that themanner ofconstructing, applying and using the invention may be clear-- 1y understood,'vhowever, the specific terms herein are. used desc'riptively rather thanini:

a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

What I claim as new and by Letters Patent is:

1. A buckle or clasp for a strap or band having a central bar with an opening on each side of the bar, an eye adapted for the attachment thereto of an end of the strap, the eye being pivotally mounted adjacent to said bar, a clamping member on the opposite side of said opening from said bar and fastening means for said eye tending to hold it in clamping contact with said member, the end of the material engaging the eye and an intermediate pordesire to secure tion of the strap being pressed together and clamped between said eye and said member.

2. The combination with a strap of a buckle or clasp having a central bar with an elongated opening on each side of the bar, an eye attached to the end of the strap and pivotally mounted adjacent to said bar, a clamping member on the opposite side of one opening from said bar and fastening means for said eye tending to hold it in clamping contact with said member, said fastening means being adjacent the ends of said last mentioned opening to press outwardly against said eye which encircles said member in clamping position pressing the ends of the strap together between said member and said eye.

3. The combination with a strap of a buckle or clasp having a central bar with an elongated opening on each side of the bar, an eye to which one end of the strap is secured, the eye being pivotally mounted adjacent to said bar, a clamping member on the opposite side of one opening from said bar and fastening means for said eye tending to hold it in clamping contact with said member, the clamping member being encircled by the eye in clamping position and engaging the same from within, the clamping member being concave and the eye and said member being adapted to yield and spring into locking relation holding the two ends of said strap pressed together and clamped between them in said concavity.

4. A buckle or clasp having an integral sheet metal frame with a central bar and slots on eachside of the bar, the bar having a tubular portion composed of metal removed from said slots, an eye having its ends in said tubular portion whereby the eye is pivotally mounted, a clamping edge on the opposite side of the one slot, the bar disposed transversely to the plane of the buckle frame and adapted to cooperate with the eye in clamping position of the latter, and fastening lugs for the eye turned transversly to the plane of the frame in the same direction as is the clamping edge, the same being formed of sheet metal also removed from the adjacent slot.

tion with a strap having an integral sheet metal frame with a central bar and slots on each side of-the bar, a hinge tube composed of portions removed from said slots, an eye adapted for attachment to one end of the strap, the eye being pivotally mounted in said tube, a clamping member at the opposide side of one slot from the hinge and disposed transversely to the plane of the buckle frame and toward the eye and adapted to cooperate with the eye in clamping position of the latter said member being encircled by the eye in clamping position and engaging the eye with an outward pressure from within, pressing the ends of the strap together between said eye and said member and clamping them.

6. A buckle or clasp having an integral sheet metal frame with a central bar and slots on each side of the bar, a hinge tube composed of portions removed from said slots, an eye pivotally mounted in said tube, a clamping member on the opposite side of the one slot from the hinge and disposed transversely to the plane of the buckle frame and toward the eye and adapted to cooperate with the eye in clamping position of the latter, the said member extending transversely to the frame being formed of sheet metal and concave to receive the eye and fastening lugs for the eye also turned transversely to the plane of the frame and concaved to receive the eye.

7. A buckle or clasp having an integral sheet metal frame with a central bar and slots of each side of the bar, a hinge tube composed of metal removed from one of said slots, an eye pivoted in said tube, a clamping member concaved to receive one side of the eye in clamping position of the latter, the same being formed of sheet metal also removed from an adjacent slot and additional clamping means for fastening the 'eye in clamped position, a strap cooperating with the buckle and having one end secured to the eye, the opposite end of the material to be clamped being passed between the clamping member and the eye, the ends of the material being thus pressed together and clamped in the clamping position of the buckle, the exposed surface of the material being kept out of contact with the metal by the end of the strap which is secured to the eye.

8. A buckle having a frame with two parallel elongated openings, a bar between the openings and a loop hinged adjacent to the bar, a clamping edge on one side of one opening with which the loop cooperates in clamping position, means for locking the loop in clamping position, a band havin one end secured to the loop, the other end 0 said band being passed through the two openings so that the buckle is adapted to slide on the band, the band as it goes through the openingsj being passed-on one side of the bar between the slots and correspondingly on the. other-.side of the clamping edge,; the clamp;

ing edge being concave on the sidea'way from theadjacent slot and being encircled, by the loop in clamped position, the, ends of the band being pressed together. in clamped.p0- siti-on between the loop and the elamnping edge, and in said concavity clamping the ends of thelband togetherk Signed at Baltimore, Maryland, this 16th day of March, 1931.

ALLEN H. KERNGOOD.,-. V 

